Thursday, December 23, 2010

My Winter Break Self-Challenge! and Protective Styles VS Low Manipulation Styles

Today is the first day of winter break for my school so I decided to do a small challenge with myself to better protect my hair. The challenge is very simple: always wear a protective style. My styles of choice are buns and having my hair wrapped. (I know wrapping my hair isn't a 'style', but that is how it will be when I am at home. The ends are still protected)

Protective styles are important because they protect your ends. Because the ends of your hair are the oldest, they want to break off. If you continue to have your ends break off then you will never see any added length. Protective styles do not make your hair grow, they just prevent breakage. They also help because your ends are protected from the elements. (Wind, Snow, Rain, Sun, Ect.) Some protective styles include:
Weaves (not glue-in)
cornrows
buns
chignons
wigs
french braids
up-dos
bantu knots (while still knotted-not a bantu knot OUT)

Low Manipulation styles are styles that use no direct heat.(blow dryer, flat iron, curling iron). These are good because since heat is obviously bad for your hair, they use no heat. They also are good because you do not have to comb your hair or at least not as often. These include
braid outs
bantu knot outs
roller sets
pin curls
flexi rods

Some people would argue that because my hair is 'only neck length' that I do not need to wear protective styles because my ends are not brushing against my clothing like people with shoulder length hair and beyond. Well I think it is still important because
1. My hair does brush against my clothing. (a tiny bit, but it still counts)
2. my hair still needs to be protected from the elements

CHALLENGE RULES:
UNTIL JANUARY 3RD 2011, I WILL WEAR MY HAIR IN SOME FORM OF A PROTECTIVE STYLE NO MATTER WHERE I AM.

*This may not be a 'challange' to some people, but I always wear my hair down so for me this will be something challenging.
*Today is a wash day

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